Let's put it this way, I first came here in 1993 and every time I came back to America I wanted to go back to Korea.

There are so many factors.

Primarily these are the ones:

Traveling is addictive

my cohorts have boring mundane lives that they've lived for the past 20 years.

I can't stand the food here.

I hate listening to other people's conversations in English. Not being able to fully understand the language was beautiful.

I've been jaded by living overseas and visiting very poor countries. My field is in counseling and to be honest I'm not very empathetic to many of the problems that my clients present to me which IS NOT a good thing in my field.

I felt way more community in Korea than I do here.

I can't stand American tv/movies etc... anymore. the only thing I miss when I'm away is American football.

I hate listening to politicians and the same rhetoric over and over again.

When I was in Korea, I never thought about America, but when I'm in America I'm constantly thinking about Korea or the many other countries I've visited.

I honestly feel so sorry for all of the people I interact with who have never traveled much. Traveling for me is a passion and a lifestyle.

Americans are for the most part quite myopic. In a way we are brainwashed at a young age to think that the rest of the world is crap.

I love going to the ER at any time of day or night and pay 5,000W to see a doctor.

that's it for now.

Im in the same boat as you and agree with most of your points except about the food. US cities have a variety of food that is not seen in many other countries.

And what countries have you ever been to? Alarm bells always go off in my head when I hear Americans talking about how great the food is there (too many cals), or how open minded the people are (not very when compared with Europeans, Aussies, and Kiwis)

I should clarify, I said the reasons people come BACK to Korea, after having left it at least once. Not come in the first place. And soomin....

Quote:

I don't like being tied down, which I would be if I went back to America... this is where money comes into play. For me to be able to move out on my own, I'd have to get a good job, which isn't going to happen (where I live, at least).

Quote:

~ My fiance is pretty sexy

...your post doesn't really rebut my point about coming back due to money/lack of job options, on the one hand, OR sex/love/emotional bonds/whatever on the other. That's why people come back. At least 90% of them.

FYI, I am NOT claiming you personally are ugly or couldn't get a guy back home. I SAID, some people fall for Korean nationals and thus get stuck here. It happens to people of all different hotness grades. But you're kidding yourself if you don't think there are guys AND girls here who couldn't get laid if they were pieces of pipe back home, but in Asia they suddenly get second looks, and THAT'S why they stick around.

And as for me, sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not opposed to interracial relationships. The girl I had the strongest interest in here was a Pakistani-American Muslim. I have nothing against Korean ethnicity. What I dislike is Korean CULTURE. A Korean-American or Westernized Korean would be fine; a native-born and native-raised Korean, with all their ridiculous tendencies and behaviors, is what is intolerable for me. Judge me if you like.

My world does not revolve around sex or money, Buliaros--generally what I seek is knowledge. But one does NEED money sometimes, particularly when one has very little of it. I came to Korea in such a state, and when I leave that state will have been modestly alleviated. My gratitude for that is real, but I will not abjure my sense of judgement as a result. I observe, and state what I see.

Quote:

Traveling for me is a passion and a lifestyle.

This may be the group I missed. The 'wanderers'. Little of your post concerns Korea, Zulethe. It's all either a) I can travel so much, living here; or b) I don't like X thing in/about America. Nothing very positive or distinctive to Korea as opposed to any other foreign country.

On cheap health care, I got an excellent tooth cleaning in Cambodia, from a state-of-the-art dentist, for $8. They spoke fair English too. In Korea I can't do better than 50,000 and if they can put 2 sentences together I'm always surprised [not to mention the issues with anesthetics].

I don't care for American politics either. I don't watch American TV. So what? The only reason you aren't annoyed by Korean politics is because either you don't know what they're talking about or it's a novelty. Barring those limiting factors you'd be just as exasperated with Korean/Thai/Chinese/French/Russian/Brazilian politics. It's all crap, everywhere. And do you really claim that Korean TV, of all things, is any better than American stuff? I hope not.

The traveling is a nice bonus. But I don't have that bug or itch or whatever it is. Traveling wears me out. And it sure as hell isn't worth the day-to-day BS of living in this place or doing this job. More like, the only element that keeps you going in the middle of a semester.

And what countries have you ever been to? Alarm bells always go off in my head when I hear Americans talking about how great the food is there (too many cals), or how open minded the people are (not very when compared with Europeans, Aussies, and Kiwis)

The big cities in the US have a huge variety of food. It makes sense since the US is culturally diverse. People who have travelled abroad also have told me Cali has some of the best sushi in the world and New York and Chicago has the best pizza (that's even including Italy).

Europeans I've met pretend to think they're open minded but they seem to be just as racist and shallow as the Americans they bash from my observations.

And Europeans also have a really difficult time accepting anyone who doesn't have socially and economically liberal views. I happen to have those views, but I'll typically play devil's advocate around them because they are extremely closed-minded regarding such topics.

And Europeans also have a really difficult time accepting anyone who doesn't have socially and economically liberal views. I happen to have those views, but I'll typically play devil's advocate around them because they are extremely closed-minded regarding such topics.

No,
you're open minded to your own slavery. They're closed minded to that. It's called having a brain..

Just got back to America two weeks ago. Love it. The air is so much cleaner, people are friendlier, don't get stared at when I walk down the street, can now drive my car and not rely on public transport. I could go on and on.

Korea was fun but c'mon, it's a place people go for a year or two when they can't find a real job back home. I miss some of the friends I made in Korea but I sure as heck don't miss living there.

And what is your job/was your job mr/mrs hokie21? mcdonalds manager?Your parents must be so proud of you. What about those of us that actually went there for an experience and not to pay off our college debts? ever thought about what you said before you say it? oh that is right you are a know it all!

And Europeans also have a really difficult time accepting anyone who doesn't have socially and economically liberal views. I happen to have those views, but I'll typically play devil's advocate around them because they are extremely closed-minded regarding such topics.

No,
you're open minded to your own slavery. They're closed minded to that. It's called having a brain..

What about those of us that actually went there for an experience and not to pay off our college debts?

To be fair, moving to Korea b/c one is unemployable in the homeland and moving to Korea for "an experience" are not mutually exclusive. The old tripe about ESL teachers being unemployable in their homelands, while certainly exaggerated, does have some truth. It's the ol "where there's smoke, there's fire" saying. I'm as unemployable back in the states as the next "Dr. Kim's ABC English Academy" clown.

And what countries have you ever been to? Alarm bells always go off in my head when I hear Americans talking about how great the food is there (too many cals), or how open minded the people are (not very when compared with Europeans, Aussies, and Kiwis)

and how many Americans have you actually known since obviously you aren't an American

it was an eye-opening experience for me my first year when students would ask about what food I missed from American and my immediate thought was "Mexican food and beer"

as for "too many calories" yeah, I also missed a really nice green salad, as opposed to say, some shredded cabbage soaked in mayo mixed with ground up pickles

as for how open-minded the Europeans, Aussies, and Kiwis are - you are kidding, right??

an openly gay female friend of mine travels globally for her job - had to go to Australia once and told them she'd never go back due to the extreme homophobia she encountered while there.

Europe - yeah - it's so open it keeps fragmenting more and more even as Germany takes over the financial system.

and Kiwis, hmm, let's ask the Maoris just how open-minded their oppressors are, shall we

Just got back to America two weeks ago.can now drive my car and not rely on public transport.
can't get a real job back home.

Man, I hate that real job crap. What is "real job"? I worked in an Engineering firm in the states. Was that a "real job"? I got the two weeks vacation and had to pay a crap load money for medical and dental. My savings rate was pathetic even though I got paid a higher wage than in Korea.

American average saving rate 11% of their income, South Koreans is over 30% and Chinese is over 50%. It seems to me that the "real jobs" are in Asia, maybe northern Europe and not in the US.

Just got back to America two weeks ago.can now drive my car and not rely on public transport.
can't get a real job back home.

Man, I hate that real job crap. What is "real job" I worked in an Engineering firm in the states. Was that a "real job"? I got the two weeks vacation and had to pay a crap load money for medical and dental. My savings rate was pathetic even though I got paid a higher wage than in Korea.

American average saving rate 11% of their income, South Koreans is over 30% and Chinese is over 50%. It seems to me that the "real jobs" are in Asia, maybe northern Europe and not in the US.

I'd define a real job as a job where the requirements consist of something more than being born in an English speaking country and being able to speak your native language. I know I know you also need a degree...

Yes I agree that for those fresh out of college it's not a bad gig, but heck you don't even need any certification to teach in Korea.

I don't know what people are taking offense to, the majority of the teachers I met in Korea didn't take the job very seriously and it's a job people only do for a year or two and return home. Now there are obviously exceptions to the rule but they are exceptions.

Not a lot of "full time" jobs I know consist of 4 hours of actual work a day followed by the ability to go out boozing till 4 am and still get 8 hours of sleep in to wake up for work.

When I say that it's not a "real job" I don't mean it's a bad job, far from it, free room and board, low taxes, nice place to save. Heck I enjoyed my time there but I didn't consider it a real job. Just my opinion.

Last edited by Hokie21 on Thu Jun 21, 2012 8:09 pm; edited 1 time in total

Let's put it this way, I first came here in 1993 and every time I came back to America I wanted to go back to Korea.

There are so many factors.

Primarily these are the ones:

Traveling is addictive

my cohorts have boring mundane lives that they've lived for the past 20 years.

I can't stand the food here.

I hate listening to other people's conversations in English. Not being able to fully understand the language was beautiful.

I've been jaded by living overseas and visiting very poor countries. My field is in counseling and to be honest I'm not very empathetic to many of the problems that my clients present to me which IS NOT a good thing in my field.

I felt way more community in Korea than I do here.

I can't stand American tv/movies etc... anymore. the only thing I miss when I'm away is American football.

I hate listening to politicians and the same rhetoric over and over again.

When I was in Korea, I never thought about America, but when I'm in America I'm constantly thinking about Korea or the many other countries I've visited.

I honestly feel so sorry for all of the people I interact with who have never traveled much. Traveling for me is a passion and a lifestyle.

Americans are for the most part quite myopic. In a way we are brainwashed at a young age to think that the rest of the world is crap.

I love going to the ER at any time of day or night and pay 5,000W to see a doctor.

that's it for now.

Im in the same boat as you and agree with most of your points except about the food. US cities have a variety of food that is not seen in many other countries.

And what countries have you ever been to? Alarm bells always go off in my head when I hear Americans talking about how great the food is there (too many cals), or how open minded the people are (not very when compared with Europeans, Aussies, and Kiwis)

Have you ever been to NY, San Francisco, LA? Obviously not. You can get a variety of great food from many nations. I have been to Europe. Try getting decent Thai, Cuban, Salvadorean, Vietnamese food on the continent. Not gonna happen. You are just a naive American basher with no idea what you are talking about. Just because you envison that Mcdonalds is the only food in the US doesnt make it true.